Francisco de Borja Garção Stockler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Francisco de Borja Garção Stockler
8th Captain-General of the Azores
Assuming office
Monarch	Peter IV
Succeeding	Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo
Personal details
Born	25 September 1759 Lisbon, Portugal
Died	March 6, 1829(1829-03-06) (aged 69) Algarve

Francisco de Borja Garção Stockler (born September 25, 1759, in Lisbon – died March 6, 1829) was an important Portuguese figure. He was a lieutenant general in the military, a politician, and a brilliant mathematician. He also held the title of 1st Baron of Vila da Praia.

During his life, Stockler had many important jobs. He was a military leader, a government advisor, and even the governor of Algarve. He is best known for being the 8th Captain-General of the Azores islands. He was also a key member of a group that helped write a new constitutional charter for Portugal in 1823.

Beyond politics and military, Stockler was a respected academic. He taught mathematics at the Academia Real de Marinha (Royal Marine Academy) and was a leader at the Academia Militar do Rio de Janeiro. He was also a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Lisbon and a fellow of the Royal Society of London. He was a pioneer in differential calculus and a famous historian of mathematics in Portugal.

Biography of Francisco Stockler

Francisco Stockler was born in Lisbon. His father, Cristiano Stockler, was a merchant from Lisbon. His mother was Margarida Joséfa Rita de Orgiens Garção de Carvalho. His grandfather came from Hamburg, Germany, a city known for its history with the Hanseatic League.

Stockler's Academic Life

Stockler planned a career in the military. By 1784, when he was 25, he was already a captain. He studied mathematics at the University of Coimbra. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Academia Real de Marinha (Royal Marine Academy). There, he started his research into the limits of differential calculus.

In 1791, Stockler became a member of the Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa (Lisbon Royal Academy of Sciences). This began a period where he published many academic works. His writings, especially on differential calculus, became well-known in Portugal and across Europe.

On January 3, 1795, Stockler married D. Inês Gertrudes de Mendonça e Moura. Her father was D. João Francisco de Moura, a customs notary in Lisbon. In 1806, Stockler was also chosen as a member of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.

He wrote other works honoring academics and politicians. These included biographies and his Obras Completas (Complete Works), published in two volumes in 1805 and 1826. He also praised d'Alembert, a famous French mathematician. Stockler received many honors, which was rare for Portuguese scientists at the time. On April 1, 1819, he became a foreign member of the Royal Society of London.

Role in the Peninsular Wars

Stockler served as an assistant to Field Marshall João Carlos de Bragança Sousa e Ligne, 2nd Duke of Lafões. This was during the 1801 campaigns of the Peninsular War, also known as the War of the Oranges. As the duke's military secretary from 1797 to 1801, Stockler published an important paper on how to conduct military operations.

In 1807, the French Army invaded Portugal, led by General Jean-Andoche Junot. The Portuguese royal family and government moved to Brazil. At this time, Stockler was the secretary of the Real Academia das Ciências (Royal Academy of Sciences). He was one of the important people who met the French invaders in Sacavém.

Because of this, and because Junot was made a member of the Royal Academy, some people thought Stockler was helping the French. He even accepted command of a military battery near Belém from Junot. This battery was used to stop Portuguese ships from sailing to Brazil, which made many believe he was on the French side.

After the French left, the Portuguese government removed Stockler from his positions. To get back into the military, a letter from the Count of Linhares, a minister in Brazil, was needed. The letter questioned Stockler's loyalty and his military skills.

His actions during the French invasion and his military performance were criticized in a book called História Geral da Invasão dos Franceses (General History Of The French Invasion). Stockler wrote his own book to defend himself, but the Royal Academy refused to publish it. The debate continued, but despite public criticism, Stockler managed to rejoin the Portuguese military. He was even promoted to Field Marshal.

Life During the Regency

In 1812, Stockler went to Brazil to join the Portuguese government in exile. There, his intelligence helped him gain the trust of the Prince Regent. Stockler was in Rio de Janeiro when Queen D. Maria died, and the Prince Regent became King D. VI. Stockler was asked by the Lisbon Royal Academy of Sciences to give a speech during the King's ceremony.

Besides his math work, Stockler also wrote poetry. His book Poesias Lyricas (Lyrical Poems) included odes and a philosophical poem called Aves. This poem was later published by a Brazilian poet. The Academy considered publishing it in 1819, but they wanted him to change some ideas that went against the Catholic Church's beliefs at the time. Stockler refused and published it in London. The Vatican later banned the book.

At the same time, Stockler wrote an Ensaio histórico about the history of mathematics in Portugal. This work, published in Paris, was highly praised and is still considered one of the best histories of mathematical thought up to the 19th century. He also studied education, writing about how to set up public schools in Brazil.

Stockler was also a deputy in the Junta de Direcção da Academia Militar (Military Academy Junta) in Rio de Janeiro. There, he helped bring back the study of mathematics and physics.

Serving as Captain-General

The Rise of Liberalism

While Stockler was in Rio de Janeiro, the government started getting complaints about Brigadier Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo, who was the Governor and Captain-General of the Azores. People on the islands were unhappy with his strict military rule and how he gave land to his friends instead of the local people. This caused a lot of anger and led to protests.

Because of his academic fame and intelligence, King D. John VI chose Stockler on November 12, 1819, to replace the unpopular Captain-General. Stockler left for Lisbon in August 1820 to get his orders for governing the Azores. During this time, a big political change, the Liberal Revolution of 1820, was happening in Portugal.

Stockler was known for being against Liberal ideas. However, his past actions helped him get approval from the new Liberal leaders to go to the Azores. He arrived on October 18, 1820, and was welcomed with excitement because he was replacing the disliked Araújo e Azevedo. Both political groups in the Azores had hopes for him. Liberals hoped he would support their new ideas, while Absolutists (who supported the King's absolute power) believed he would stick with the monarchy.

The Absolutists quickly felt their hopes were confirmed. Stockler stopped political contact with Portugal and asked for new officials from Rio de Janeiro, ignoring the Liberal government in Lisbon.

When the Liberals in the Azores realized Stockler was not on their side, they started their own movement for a constitutional government. On March 1, 1821, a military revolt happened in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel island. This bloodless revolution was supported by nobles, clergy, and local officials. It installed a constitutional government on São Miguel, declaring its independence from the government in Angra.

Stockler tried to stop this, publishing a statement on March 27, 1821, condemning the separation. But the interim government on São Miguel quickly removed laws that made them dependent on Terceira island. They also abolished taxes and allowed contact with the Liberal government in Portugal. The new government in Portugal recognized the interim government in São Miguel and Santa Maria. They left Stockler in charge of the other islands. Stockler pretended to support the Liberals but secretly worked against them.

In April, a group from the Azores went to Lisbon with complaints against Stockler. They accused him of misusing money and burdening the people. In response, Lisbon divided the Azores into three regions, each with its own judge to oversee finances.

On May 13, 1821, a ship arrived in Terceira, ordering Stockler to recognize the Liberal government. Stockler resisted, but he didn't get the support he expected from the people. On April 14, 1821, a revolution broke out in Angra. Stockler had to flee to Praia. The local council in Angra tried to set up an interim government. However, the Liberal cause was not as popular as they thought. A counter-revolution happened, and the leader of the Angra revolt was killed. Stockler used this situation to arrest anyone suspected of being a Liberal. He took their belongings and hid in the Fortress of São João Baptista.

During this time, Almeida Garrett, a famous Portuguese writer, faced strong opposition from Stockler. Stockler threatened to imprison Garrett if he publicly supported the Constitution. Garrett later wrote a poem about the Captain-General.

Things changed quickly when the Congress in Lisbon announced the King's return. They ordered Stockler and the Bishop of Angra to be arrested for working against the Liberals. They also ordered a new interim government to be elected in Angra. On May 15, 1821, a ceremony was held in Angra where people declared loyalty to the future constitution. Stockler gave up his position as Governor and Captain-General. However, he tried to stay on as an "advisor" to the new government. This was not accepted by the Portuguese government. On August 11, 1822, Stockler and the bishop were removed from the island.

Time in Exile

Stockler arrived in Lisbon and was immediately arrested and put in the tower of São Julião da Barra. This led to a long public debate in the newspapers. Many people criticized his actions in the Azores. Stockler wrote his own responses to these criticisms.

However, the Liberal government fell in 1823, replaced by an Absolutist government. This change helped Stockler. On June 10, 1823, it was decided that Stockler had been loyal to the King. His career was restored, along with the Bishop's. Stockler was seen as a hero by the new government. He was asked to help create a new legal document for the country. Although this project didn't finish, he was given the title of Baron of Vila da Praia on September 29, 1823. When Stockler was re-appointed Captain-General of the Azores, many Absolutists attacked and arrested Liberals in the streets.

Return to Absolutism

Stockler arrived back in Terceira on November 17, 1823, with 500 soldiers. He took up his duties two days later in Angra. He was welcomed with three days of celebrations. Once in power, the "new" Captain-General immediately started persecuting Liberals. Many were arrested or forced to leave the island. The other islands quickly followed, declaring their obedience to the King.

Meanwhile, in Portugal, Miguel of Portugal also arrested his political opponents. But on May 14, 1824, he tried to force the King to give up his throne and was sent into exile. As a result, Stockler was fired by the new government. On July 24, 1824, Manuel Vieira de Albuquerque Touvar arrived in the Azores to become the ninth Captain-General. A few days later, Stockler left the islands again.

Later Life and Legacy

In late July 1824, Stockler arrived in Lisbon. He left politics and returned to his passion for mathematics and intellectual discussions. A year later, he submitted a new mathematical work to the Academy, but it was rejected for the third time. Feeling insulted, he resigned from the Academy and published his work himself.

The second volume of his Obras completas (Complete Works) was published in 1826. In 1827, as debates about a new constitution were happening in Portugal, Stockler wrote Elementos de Direito Social ou Princípios de Direito Natural. This book aimed to provide a basis for civil constitutions.

After D. Miguel returned to Portugal, Stockler showed his loyalty to the Absolutist cause. He was appointed Governor of Arms for the Algarve province. He died in this position on March 6, 1829.

Stockler was a prolific writer on mathematics and politics. His mathematical works earned him recognition, including being nominated as a correspondent for the Royal Society in London. He also wrote many texts defending his political actions. His Ensaio histórico sobre a origem e progressos das matemáticas em Portugal (Historic Essay On The Origin And Progress Of Mathematics In Portugal) is especially notable.

Published Works

• Mathematics:
  • Compêndio da teoria dos limites, ou introdução ao método das fluxões, Lisbon, 1794;
  • Memórias sobre os verdadeiros princípios do método das fluxões
  • Demonstração do teorema de Newton sobre a soma das potencias das raízes das equações
  • Lettre a Mr. le Redacteur du "Monthly Review" ou Réponse aux objections qu'on a faites dans ce journal à la methode des limites des fluxions hypothétiques, London, 1800
  • Carta a Anton Felkel acerca do seu método para determinar os factores dos números naturais
  • Memória sobre as equações de condição das funções fluxionais (Memories On The Equations Of The Condition Of Fluctional Functions)
  • Lição duodécima dos elementos de Geometria, a qual tem por título das correlações que existem entre as operações elementares da technia geométrica e da technia algébrica, Lisboa, 1819
  • Memória sobre algumas propriedades das coeficientes dos termos do binómio de Newton
  • Método inverso dos limites ou desenvolvimento das funções algorítmicas (Inverse Memories On Limits On Involvement Of Algorithmic Functions), Lisbon, 1825.
• Mathematical History:
  • Ensaio histórico sobre a origem e progressos das matemáticas em Portugal (Historic Essay On The Origin And Progress Of Mathematics In Portugal), Paris, 1819 ([VII], 168, [1] p. ; 21 cm).
• Poetry and Literature:
  • Breve notícia da vida e obras de Francisco Dias Gomes, inserta como prefácio das Obras Poéticas de Francisco Dias Gomes, published by the Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa
  • Poesias lyricas (Lyric Poems) - a volume that contains 18 Horatian odes, 12 traditional sonts, and a song on philosophical poem Aves by the Brazilian poet Sousa Caldas
  • Anotações e aditamentos às obras do Padre António Pereira de Sousa Caldas, published in London.
• Political Essays:
  • Obras Completas (Completed Works), volume I, Lisboa, 1805;
  • Obras Completas (Completed Works), volume II, Lisboa, 1826;
  • Cartas ao autor da História Geral da Invasão dos Franceses em Portugal (Letters Of The Author On The General History Of The French Invasion Of Portugal), Rio de Janeiro, 1813;
  • Discurso dirigido em nome da Academia Real das Sciencias a S.M. o Senhor D. João VI, por occasião da sua exaltação ao throno, Rio de Janeiro, 1813
  • Memória à Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa onde se demonstra a primazia dos descobrimentos portugueses no século XV;
  • Elementos de Direito Social, ou princípios de Direito natural, que devem servir de base á constituição das sociedades civis
  • Análise da Memória publicada pelo Dr. José Martins da Cunha Pessoa (Analysis Of The Published Memories About Dr. José Martins da Cunha Pessoa), published under his son's name and republished in 1816 in Rio e Janeiro
  • Memorial dirigido ao Il.mo Sr. Luiz Manuel de Moura Cabral, desembargador da Casa da Suplicação, ilustrado com algumas notas, Lisbon, 1822;
  • Cartas sobre os acontecimentos da ilha Terceira, por um Cidadão imparcial (1st, 2nd and 3rd, all written under his son's name, António Nicolau de Moura Stockler in which he was 17 at that time);
  • Nota ao n.º 75 do Campeão Lisbonense por um Amigo do general;
  • Observações ou notas ilustrativas do folheto intitulado «Voz da Verdade provada por documentos»
  • Carta sobre o n.º 2 do folheto intitulado a «Voz da Verdade», (escrita em nome do filho)
  • Análise crítica ao libelo famoso intitulado «Notícia resumida dos acontecimentos da ilha Terceira na instalação do seu governo constitucional» (escrita em nome do filho)